Gregory Theodore Ming
"In numbers we walk. We might pay a visit to some of the sources of these rumors. I'm intrigued, to say the least." - Gregory, regarding the growing turmoil in Corinth Gregory Theodore Ming is the current reigning emperor of Sapphiria, and the husband of reigning empress and patron deity of the nation, Sapphirian. After having fallen in love during a rather uneventful period in time, Gregory was drafted into Sapphirian's Army when the Great War started. Either through some bitter jealousy or other unknown factors, Gregory was slain by Sapphirian's twin sister Cyndi. He was brought back soon after, due to Sapphirian coercing her sister into correcting the mistake. History Pre-Great War Gregory Theodore Ming was born 18 years before the Great War, birthed to a mixture of Japanese/American parents. For most of his life, he grew up and around Kyoto, Japan, but he never really was able to amount to much. His early days consisted of drifting around in the streets with his friends, and getting into trouble after school. For all intents and purposes, his life was uneventful; just the life of a regular, teenage boy. Among one of his friends was Benjamine; though Benji was a foreign exchange student from America, the two became close friends during Gregory's 9th year in school. During his last year at Kyoto High, Gregory met a girl who in his eyes was perfect. She had this beautiful blue hair; vibrant hair color was pretty common in Japan, but there was something about her that just captivated Gregory. They immediately hit it off and talked almost every single day. The girl introduced herself as Sapphirian; Gregory thought the name was weird, but she stated it was a nickname of sorts, and she wasn't comfortable with sharing her real name. They continued to date up until graduation. In the meanwhile, news stations had reported that things were heating up between other nations. Conflict was inevitable, they said. After he graduated, Sapphirian revealed herself to be a goddess; and she explained that her sister was the one bringing humanity to the brink of war. Gregory didn't believe her at first, thinking it was just some hoax. A brief display of power was all it took to quell his doubts. Sapphirian raised her army just days later, with Gregory and his friend Benjamine as one of her closest allies. The Great War In what was effectively a freedom force meant to stop Sapphirian's sister, Gregory didn't know what the hell he was doing. It was only by Sapphirian's guidance that their army ever managed to win any battles. In doing so however, they managed to slowly quell the rising conflicts between nations. At first, it seemed like they were succeeding; the tension had lowered significantly since the outset. It wasn't until Cyndi finally showed herself that things really got worse. Cyndi killed Gregory immediately, slaying him through unknown means. This was something that evoked Sapphirian's ire immensely, and all of their progress was lost. The nations marched to war again, officially sparking the start of the Great War. Humanity engulfed itself in atomic fire; the fighting only lasted a few days before it was all over. While ultimately unable to stop humanity from causing a nuclear apocalypse, Sapphirian saved as many people as she could, eventually resurrecting Gregory so he could serve alongside her. He hadn't realized what happened, but something inside of him broke when he learned what happened to the world. He almost wished Sapphirian hadn't brought him back; knowing that humanity had killed themselves, was a difficult burden to carry. Founding of Sapphiria Despite his heavy regrets about being unable to stop the war, Gregory joined with Sapphirian to forge a new world for the survivors of the Great War. This led to the founding of Sapphiria; an island stitched together from broken landmasses. Various cultures gathered to pay their respects to Sapphirian, their savior; Gregory would stand by her side for all time, eventually becoming her husband when they married only days later. In doing so, the two established themselves as the dominant rulers of Sapphiria, installing a robust government system that would ensure stability within their new empire. Appearance Gregory holds the appearance of a young, Japanese-American man, with his youth extended by the blessing of his wife, Sapphirian. Ear-length brunette hair covers his head, with thin eyebrows and a short mustache just above his upper lip. His attire is the typical attire of Sapphirian royalty; clothes and fabrics woven with the finest silks, mostly colored in varying shades and hues of blue. His torso is covered in a atypical dress shirt with the sleeves cut up at the biceps; covering the shirt is a vest, adorned with gold designs of intricate value. Over his forearms are armlets, decently sturdy but mostly for decorative purposes. Below, a dress shrouds his legs, emblazoned with a crest of some kind. Upon his feet, he wears a comfortable pair of Asian-style shoes, which help diminish aching pains from prolonged physical activity. Personality Gregory shares much of the same views as his wife, mostly about wishing peace and harmony for all of their kingdom. He expressed himself as a benevolent and pure soul, always willing to aid his subjects if they need it. He is a loving man, and this love extends to his family and friends, and his loyal subjects. Despite being emperor, Gregory doesn't consider himself above anyone else; he treats inhabitants of Sapphiria with as much respect as he would with other members of royalty. Though, Gregory still holds a constant sense of guilt on his conscience. He considers himself at fault for all the lives lost during the Great War, as it was he who had distracted Sapphirian away from Cyndi. Though he shoulders the burden, Gregory is compelled to redeem himself by helping his people prosper. Relationships Sapphirian His beloved life partner Sapphirian is his priority, coupled with the happiness of his family and the unwavering fealty of his childhood friend. Together with his family, his friend, and the peer-to-peer relationships he maintains with his subjects. Gregory has no time to remain around the palace as he would rather walk among the people, converse, and spend time with them as he always does. It is quite possible that their bond is stronger than most, considering what they had gone through in the years before and following the Great War. Theodore Ming Gregory and Theodore have been close since birth; mostly because of Gregory's kindness. Theodore has been his silent protector of sorts, keeping both of them out of trouble since an early age. While Gregory was always more of a diplomat, he had the qualities of a leader as well. This translated into him leading Sapphirian's armies, on the cusp of the Great War. Even after the founding of Sapphiria, the two brothers remain inseparable; while Gregory leads the empire, Theodore remains as his shadow, watching, protecting and advising as necessary. This does not mean they always get along, however; Theodore has shown himself to be a bit abrasive when it comes to protecting Gregory, which has led to arguments between the two brothers. Cyndi Though she is his wife's sister, Gregory can't help but feel an intense disdain of Cyndi. Since she had killed him, he always felt that she was far too dangerous to be left alone, though could do nothing about it, since Sapphirian allowed it. Gregory considers Cyndi to be a chaotic force of nature, and if left unchecked, could very well cause another world war. Therefore, he always finds himself overly cautious whenever Cyndi is around, even if her visits are random and brief. Despite Gregory's concerns about Cyndi, Sapphirian has forced him to get along with the devious goddess.Category:Characters Category:Sapphirian Empire Category:Native